Gulf Air is the official carrier for the Bahrain International Travel Expo BITE 2005, which will open at Gulf International Convention Centre (Gulf Hotel) from 9 to 11 May this year.
Under the patronage of the Crown Prince and Commander of the Bahrain Defence Force, HH Shaikh Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, the exhibition will provide a forum for countries and tourist authorities from around the world to promote their summer products and services to consumers in Bahrain and the Eastern Province, KSA.
“Gulf Air is delighted to be part of this important initiative to attract and develop investment and economic growth that result from successful in- and out-bound tourism,” said Shaikh Bader bin Salman Al Khalifa, Gulf Air’s General Manager in Bahrain and travel industry veteran. “We are committed to active involvement to ensure that the event is a success.”
“Gulf Air is offering reduced fare tickets to exhibitors coming to Bahrain for the event, and is working to encourage tourism boards from popular destinations around the world, to come and promote their countries at the show,” he said.
In addition to showcasing its new First and Business Class seats, Gulf Air will use the event as a forum to launch its new collection of holiday brochures for the GCC, Middle East, Europe and Asia Pacific, and Gulf Air Holidays staff will be on hand to offer advice on the range of summer packages.
“To mark the occasion, we are offering a 10 per cent early booking discount on Gulf Air Holiday Packages for reservations made during the three days of the expo,” confirmed Shaikh Bader. “We hope consumers will take advantage of this event, not only to see what is available but also to plan and book their holidays early.”
Gulf Air was founded in 1950. Today, it is owned by the Kingdom of Bahrain, Oman and the Emirate of Abu Dhabi and is the only truly pan Gulf carrier in the region. The airline’s network stretches from Europe to Asia and covers 44 cities in 30 countries. The fleet is one of the most modern in the Middle East and comprises 34 aircraft.
The airline is in the last year of a three-year strategic recovery programme, headed by President and Chief Executive, James Hogan. The airline, which is making rapid strides towards regaining profitability in 2005, aims to further evolve by taking its renowned cultural strengths, which have been gained over more than half a century, into a global environment.
The dramatic turnaround in Gulf Air’s fortunes has won international recognition. In January 2004, The Centre for Asia Pacific Aviation (CAPA) presented the airline with the prestigious Airline Turnaround of the Year Award for 2003. Gulf Air was also the recipient of the 2003 Platinum Award for the Best Airline in the Middle East and North Africa, recognising the airline’s commitment to service excellence.
